IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS)

e-ISSN: 2278-3008, p-ISSN:2319-7676. Volume 10, Issue 5 Ver. III (Sep - Oct. 2015), PP 53-60
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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from

Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria
A.D Ali1*, A.G Ezra 2 and SD Abdul2
1

Department of Plant science and technology, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.

Biological Science Programme, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.

Abstract: As component of an exhaustive investigation on the ecological studies of diatom communities of

River Dilimiin Jos, the spatio-temporal variation of four different diatom communities was investigated.As a
derivative of these studies, a comprehensive compilation was made of the diatomflora of the upper mainstream
channel of the river. Two hundred and nine (198 pennate and 11 centric) diatom speciesbelonging to twenty five
families and forty genera were recorded. The genera most represented belong to Pinnularia (26 taxa),
Gomphonema (26 taxa), Cymbella (21 taxa), Navicula (19 taxa) and Eunotia (14 taxa). Gomphonema parvulum
(Kutz.) Grunow, Nitzschia palea (Ktz.) Smith, Navicula arvensis and Cymbella minuta Bleisch ex Rabh Husted
were the most noticeable diatoms with respect to both frequency of occurrence and relative abundance across
samples.
Keywords:Algae, Checklist, Diatoms, River Dilimi, Jos

I.

Introduction

Studies on Nigerian diatoms are few and they do not representthe vast geographic variability of the
nation. It is clear from literatures that most attention in the country was given to marine and brackish waters or
on waters from the southern part of the country.Some of the works in this category include [1 - 7]. Thus,
thenorthern region remains relatively unexplored and underrepresented in major diatom reports.
The small number of publications on the diversity of diatoms in freshwater inland rivers makes it
difficult to compare results with the relatively few studies from southern part of the country.Report of
freshwater algal flora from this part of the country will not only add to the knowledge of the flora but will also
serve as a reference point for monitoring future changes on this assemblage as the river becomes progressively
polluted. It is also expected that it will stimulate research collaboration and increase coordination in current and
future ecological research on the inland rivers of the country.
Thus, the work was an attempt to provide an inventory of diatom of Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria.

II.

Materials And Methods

Study area
The Jos Plateau (822' 9 30' E: 8 50' 1010' N) is a highland area in north-central Nigeria. The
landscape is predominated by plutonic and volcanic rocks with sediments of alluvium and other unconsolidated
deposits [8]. Jos, because of its elevation (300 to 600 metres is characterized by lower temperatures (average
daily temperatures of 21C) and serves as source of many streams and rivers one of which is Dilimi River [9].
Dilimi River is the main drainage system of Jos and its surroundings whicharises from the spring
sources from hills around the Jos old Airport area. Itflows through the major metropolis in an approximately
northeast direction for about 400km before it confluence with the Hadejia River which flows into Lake
Chad[10]. As the Jos Plateau is granitic, the river is generally oligotrophic with slight enrichment in the
downstream sections from unregulated releases of effluents from Jos Abattoir, Liberty dam spill over, local
mine washings, Yan-Shanu Market, Naraguta leather works and other sundry and domestic effluents as it drains
the metropolis [10].
Methods
Sample collection
Diatoms samples were collected on a bi-monthly basis from April 2005 to December 2005 fromfive
sampling sites on the main stream channel (Table 1) to reflect differences in environmental gradients. Four
diatom communities were sampledseparately in accordance with [11and 12] to get as broad as possible, an
estimate of the species composition. The Phytoplankton samples were collected by using 55m mesh-sized
plankton net, epilithic diatoms were collected by brushing seven to ten cobbles or small boulders [12].Epiphytic
samples were collected from different parts of plant materials with representative diatom growth by shaking,
squeezing and washing the plants portions as the case may be. Toothbrush or scraper was used to dislodge them
from plant surface in the washing dish. Epipsammic communities on loose sediments (sand) were collected by
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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria
the use of spoons and spatula and transferredto washing dish and subsequently into a sample bottle. The
dislodged suspensions from each group of substrate type at site were composited [13] and preserved in 4%
formalin.
The material was processed according to methods applied by [12].To enhance diatom identification, a
portion of each sample was acid cleaned line with the procedure outline in [11] using a mixture of sulphuric acid
oxalic acid. The permanent diatom preparations were made using Naphrax as mountant and the diatoms
identified under Olympus binocular. Identification was based on the following [11, 14 - 17]
Table 1: Description of sampling sites in Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria.
Distance from
source (km)

1
2

1.3
5.0

Near Rayfield. Jos.

Nasarawa Bridge, Dilimi street, Jos.

1230
1160

Latitude
8O54I E
8O54I E

Longitude
9O54I N
9O55I N

10.5

Student village Bridge, Farin-Gada road, Jos.

1090

8O53I E

9O58I N

4
5

16.5
23.2

Altitude
(m)

Grid reference

Site

Location

Beyond Naraguta Village, off Jos-Bauchi road, Jos

Behind Barikin Babale, off Jos-Bauchi Road, Jos

III.

1040
890

8 54 E
8O57I E

10O00I N
10O54I N

Results

Physico-chemical
The summary of physical and chemical attributes of water recorded across year and season are
presented in Table 2. Generally, the surface water of the river was characterized by high turbidity (6 90 FTU),
high conductivity (132 - 1300mhoscm-1), moderate dissolved oxygen content (1.0 12mg/l), and high
alkalinity (25 499mg/l). Micro nutrients, NO3-N and PO4-P recorded moderately high values of between 1.0
6.6mg/l and 0.5 2.9mgl-1 respectively.
Varied degree of responses was observed with sites and months of sampling. Differences between year
and season with respect to Physico-chemical attributes were also significant in some cases.
Biological
Two hundred and nine diatoms distributed across twenty five families and forty genera (Table 2 &4)
were encountered during the study. The families most represented were Pinnulariaceae (27 taxa) followed by
Gomphonemataceae (26 taxa), and Cymbellaceae (22 taxa) while seven of the families were represented only
once. Pennate diatoms were the dominant groups with 198 species while centric diatoms had 11 species. The
genera most represented (Figure 1) were Pinnularia (26 taxa), Gomphonema (26 taxa), Cymbella (21 taxa),
Navicula (19 taxa)and Eunotia (14 taxa). Aulacoseira, Coscinodiscus,Cyclotella, Stephanodiscus spand
Thallassiosira were the only centric genera recorded. From the study, six genera had greater than 10 species, 12
genera had less than five species while up to sixteen genera (40%) were represented by only a single species.
The rank of the 19 major diatom taxa, according to frequency of occurrence and mean abundance in
samples is shown in Table 5.Frequency of occurrence in samples ranged from 0.42 to 99.17%. Gomphonema
parvulum, Nitzschia palea, Navicula arvensis and Cymbella minuta were most predominant, occurring either
consistently or widespread during the survey. Six species occurred in more than 50 per cent of the sample, 133
species occurred in 5% or less while 38 species (15.83%) occurred only once during the survey. All the other
taxa (90.4%) not included in the list had a frequency of occurrence of less than 30%.
The mean abundance of species ranged from 0.17 to 41.32%.Gomphonema parvulum was the most
abundant followed by Nitzschia palea and Navicula arvensis. The other taxa excluded from the list (Table 5)
had mean abundance of less than 1.0 percent.

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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria
Table 2: Summary Statistics for Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Water at Dilimi River, Jos (2004 to 2006)
Physical Character
Air Temperature (C)
Min - Max
Water Temperature (C)
Min - Max
Mean Width (m)
Min - Max
Mean Depth (m)
Min - Max
Current (ms-1)
Min - Max
Discharge (m3s-1)
Min - Max
Turbidity (FTU Units)
Min - Max
pH
Min - Max
Alkalinity (mgl-1CaCO3)
Min - Max
Conductivity (Scm-1)
Min - Max
Dissolved oxygen (mgl-1)
Min - Max
Nitrate-Nitrogen (mgl-1)
Min - Max
Phosphate-Phosphurus (mgl-1)
Min - Max
Sulphate (mgl-1)
Min - Max

Overall
28.17(0.50)
16.00 - 38.00
22.18(0.53)
11.00 - 28.00
7.70(0.56)
1.08 - 15.30
0.35(0.02)
0.09 - 0.93
0.5(0.03)
0.15 - 1.00
1.53(0.23)
0.03 - 7.21
43.3(2.94)
6.00 - 90.00
7.22(0.07)
6.20 - 8.65
158.2(16.84)
25.00 - 499.00
404.32(32.86)
132.00 - 1300.00
7.57(0.36)
1.00 - 12.00
3.83(0.17)
1.50 - 6.50
1.73(0.07)
0.50 - 2.80
17.97(0.98)
10.00 - 38.00

Year
Year 1
Year 11 p - value
30.40(0.60)
26 (0.60) p < 0.01
26.00 - 38.00 16.00 - 32.00
23.90(0.40) 20.4(0.90) p < 0.01
19.00 - 28.00 11.00 - 26.00
7.80(0.80)
7.60(0.81) p > 0.05
1.19 - 15.30
1.08 - 15.3
0.35(0.03)
0.34(0.03) p > 0.05
0.09 - 0.87
0.13 - 93.00
0.51(0.03)
0.49(0.05) p > 0.05
0.16 - 0.94
0.15 - 1.00
1.50(0.31)
1.55(0.36) p > 0.05
0.11 - 7.07
0.03 - 7.21
42.00(4.00) 45.00(4.00) p > 0.05
6.00 - 85.00
10.00 - 90
7.06(0.08)
7.39(0.10) p < 0.01
6.20 - 7.80
6.20 - 8.65
120.43(18.03) 195.97(27.03) p < 0.01
25.00 - 324.00 46.00 - 499.00
382(37.58) 426.60(54.29) p > 0.05
142.00 - 870.00 132.00 -1300.00
7.22(0.48)
7.93(0.53) p > 0.05
1.50 -12.00
1.00 -11.80
3.52(0.26)
4.10(0.21) p < 0.05
1.50 - 6.50
2.00 - 6.20
2.02(0.08)
1.49(0.10) p < 0.01
1.30 - 2.80
0.50 - 2.60
18.05(1.35) 17.80(1.27) p > 0.05
12.00 - 38.00 10.00 - 25.00

Wet
29.7(0.60)
25.00 - 38.00
24.50(0.30)
21.00 - 28.00
8.84(0.91)
1.19 - 15.30
0.41(0.04)
0.18 - 0.93
0.58(0.04)
0.15 - 1.00
2.24(0.40)
0.07 - 7.21
48.00(3.00)
18.00 - 85.00
7.00(0.07)
6.20 - 7.70
82.03(10.08)
25.00 - 254.00
372.60(52.07)
144.00 -1300.00
8.12(0.44)
2.00 - 12.00
4.14(025)
1.50 - 6.20
1.96(0.08)
1.10 - 2.60
16.83(0.96)
10.00 - 25.00

Season
Dry
26.60(0.70)
16.00 - 32.00
19.80(0.80)
11.00 - 25.00
6.56(0.62)
1.08 - 12.40
0.28(0.02)
0.09 - 0.46
0.42(0.03)
0.16 - 0.91
0.81(0.11)
0.03 - 2.67
39.00(5.00)
6.00 - 90.00
7.44(0.10)
6.40 - 8.56
234.37(25.54)
37.50 - 499.00
432.03(40.16)
132.00 - 825.00
7.02(0.55)
1.00 - 11.80
3.58(0.21)
1.50 - 6.50
1.53(0.11)
0.50 - 2.80
19.10(1.70)
12.00 - 38.00

p - value
p < 0.01
p > 0.05
p < 0.01
p > 0.05
p > 0.05
p < 0.01
p < 0.05
p < 0.01
p < 0.01
p > 0.05
p > 0.05
p > 0.05
p < 0.01
p > 0.05

Table 3. List of Diatoms found in the Upper River Dilimi, Jos. Nigeria (2004-2006).
Taxa
Taxa
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Family: Anomoeoneidaceae
Anomoeoneis serians (Breb.) Cleve
Order: Centrales
Anomoeoneis sphaerophora (Ehrenb.) Pfitzer
Family:Aulacoseiraceae
Aulacoseira distans (Ehrenb.) Simonsen
Anomoeoneis sp.
Aulacoseira granulata (Ehrenb.) Simonsen
Family: Bacillariaceae
Aulacoseira granulata (Ehrenb.)Simonsen var. angustissima
Denticula elegans f.validaPedic
Denticula elegans Ktz.
Family:Coscinodiscaceae
Hantzschia amphioxys (Ehrenb.) Grun.
Coscinodiscus sp
var.capitata Pant.
Hantzschia amphioxys (Ehrenb.) Grunow
Family: Stephanodiscaceae
Cyclotella atomus Hust.
Nitzschia amphibia Grunow
Cyclotella caspia Grunow
Nitzschia frustulum(Ktzing) Grunow
Cyclotella comensisGrunow
Nitzschia hantzschiana Rabenh.
Nitzschia intermedia Hantzsch ex Cleve et
Cyclotella meneghiniana Ktz.
Grunow
Cyclotella ocellata Pant.
Nitzschia linearis (Agardh) Smith
Cyclotella stelligera Cleve et Grunow
Nitzschia microcephalaGrunow
Stephanodiscus sp
Nitzschia minuta Bleisch
Nitzschia palea (Ktz.) Smith
Family:Thalassiosiraceae
Thallassiosira sp
Nitzschia palea 2
Nitzschia paleacea Grunow
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Nitzschia recta hanzschianaex Rabenhorst
Order: Pennales
Nitzschia romana Grunow
Family: Achnanthaceae
Achnanthes coartata (Breb.) Grunow
Family: Brachysiraceae
Achnanthes deflexa Reimer
Brachysira styriaca (Grunow) Ross
Achnanthes exigua Grunow var. heterovalva Krasske
Family: Catenulaceae
Achnanthes exigua Grunow
Amphora coffeaeformis(Agardh) Ktz.
Achnanthes flexella (Ktz.) Brunow
Amphora obtusa Greg.
Achnanthes inflata (Ktz.) Grunow.
Amphora ovalis Ktz.
Achnanthes lanceolata var. rostrata Hustedt
Amphora pediculus (Ktz.) Grunow
Achnanthes lanceolata (Breb.) Grunow
Amphora submontana Hust
Achnanthes microcephala (Ktz.) Grunow
Amphora veneta Ktz.
Cocconeis pediculus Ehrenb.
Family: Cymbellaceae
Cocconeis pediculus sp 2
Cymbella affinis Ktz.

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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria
Cymbella amphicephala Nageli
Cymbella angustata (W.Sm.) Cleve
Cymbella aspera (Ehrenb.) Perag.
Cymbella cistula (Ehrenb.) Kirchner
Cymbella cuspidata Ktz.
Cymbella cymbiformis Agardh
Cymbella delicatula Kutz.
Cymbella Hustedtii Krasske
Cymbella inaequilis (Ehrenb.) Raben.
Cymbella lanceolata (Ehrenb.) Kirchner

Family: Achnanthidiaceae
Achanthidium minutissimum (Ktz.) Czar.
Family: Amphipleuraceae
Frustulia rhomboides var. capitata
Frustulia rhomboides (Ehren) DeToni var. Crassinaria
Frustulia rhomboides (Ehrenb.) De Toni
Frustulia rhomboides var. amphipleuroides(Grunow) De Toni
Frustulia rhomboidesvar. saxonica (Raben) De Toni
Frustulia sp
Frustulia vulgaris (Thwaites) De Toni

Taxa
Cymbella lunata Smith
Cymbella mexicana (Ehrenb.) Cleve
Cymbella microcephala Grunow
Cymbella minutavarselesiaca (Bleisch) Reimer
Cymbella minuta Bleisch ex Rabh.
Cymbella minuta var pseudogracilis
Cymbella naviculiformis Auersw.
Cymbella proxima Reimer
Cymbella triangulum (Ehrenb.) Cleve
Cymbella turgidula Grunow
Encyonema sp

Table 3. Continuation
Taxa
Synedra delicatissima Smith
Synedra parasitica var subconstricta(Grunow) Hust.
Synedra radians Kutz.
Synedra rumpens Ktz.var. familiaris (Ktz.) Hust.
Synedra tenera Smith
Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehren.var. biceps (Ktz.) Schnf.
Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehrenb.
Family: Gomphonemataceae
Gomphonema sp.
Gomphonema acuminatum Ehrenb.
Gomphonema affine Ktz.

Family: Diadesmidaceae

Gomphonema angustatum (Ktz.) Rabenh.

Diadesmis confervacea Ktz.

Gomphonema consector Hohn & Hellerman

Diploneis elliptica (Ktz.) Cleve

Gomphonema gracile Ehrenb.

Diploneis oblongella (Ngeli) A.Cleve

Gomphonema gracile 2

Diploneis ovalis (Hilse) Cleve

Gomphonema insigne Greg.

Family: Eunotiaceae

Gomphonema instabilis Hohn & Hellerman

Eunotia arcus Ehrenb.

Gomphonema intricatum Kutz.

Eunotia camelus Ehrenb

Gomphonema intricatum var pumila Grunow

Eunotia curvata (Ktz.) Lagerst.

Gomphonema lacus-rankala Gandhi

Eunotia diodonEhrenb.

Gomphonema parvulum f. lanceolata (Grun.) Muller

Eunotia flexuosa (Brb.) Ktz.

Eunotia formica Ehrenb.

Gomphonema montanum SchuMann

Gomphonema montanum var. acuminatum f. maha. Sar. et
kam.

Eunotia incisa Greg.

Gomphonema olivaceoides Lyngb.

Eunotia lapponica Grunow ex Cleve

Gomphonema olivaceum (Hornem.) Brb.

Eunotia pectinalis (Dillwyn) Rabenh.

Gomphonema parvulum (kutz.) Grunow.

Eunotia praerupta Ehrenb.

Gomphonema sphaerophorum Ehrenb.

Eunotia rhomboidea Hust.

Gomphonema subclavatum (Grunow) Grunow.

Eunotia serra Ehrenb.

Gomphonema subclavatum var mexicanum(Grunow) Patrick

Eunotia sp.

Gomphonema subtile var. sagitta (SchuMann) Grunow.

Eunotia sudetica Mller

Gomphonema truncatum Ehrenb.

Family: Fragilariaceae
Amphicampa mirabilis Ehrenb.

Gomphonema truncatum Ehrenb. var. Capitata

Gomphonema truncatum var elongata (Perag and Horib.)
Patrick

Fragilaria brevistriata Grunow

Gomphonema turris Ehrenb.

Fragilaria capucina Desm.

Family: Mastogloiaceae

Fragilaria capucina varmesolepta Rabenh

Mastogloia smithii Thwaites

Fragilaria intermedia Grunow

Family: Naviculaceae

Fragilaria vaucheriae (Ktz.) Petersen

Navicula sp.

Fragilaria virescens Ralfs

Navicula arvensis 2

Fragilaria lapponica Grunow

Navicula arvensis Hust.

Meridion anceps (Ehrenb.) D.M. Williams

Navicula crucigera(Smith) Cleve

Synedra acus Kutz.

Synedra amphicephala Ktz.

Navicula cuspidata (Kutz.) Kutz.

Navicula detenta Hust..

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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria

Taxa

Table 3. Continuation
Taxa

Navicula flanatica Grunow

Pinnularia substomatophora Hust..

Navicula lanceolata (Agardh) Ehrenb.

Pinnularia sudetica (Hilse) Hilse var. commutata

Navicula mutica var undulata (Hilse) Grunow

Pinnularia torta (Mann) Patrick

Navicula mutica Ktz.

Family: Pleurosigmataceae

Navicula mutica Ktz. fo. intermedia Hust.

Gyrosigma acuminatum (Ktz.) Rabenh.

Navicula mutica var cohnii (Hilse) Grunow

Gyrosigma exilis(Grunow) Reimer

Navicula pupula Ktz.var. CapitataHust.

Gyrosigma modiferam comb nov

Navicula pusilla Smith

Family: Rhoicospheniaceae

Navicula radiosa Ktz.

Rhoicosphenia curvata (Ktz.) Grunow.

Navicula rhynchocephala Ktz.

Epithemia turgida (Ehrenb.) Ktz.

Navicula symmetrica Patrick

Rhopalodia gibba (Ehrenb.) Mll.

Navicula tripunctata (Mull.) Bory

Family: Sellaphoraceae

Navicula wardii Patrick

Fallacia pygmaea (Ktz.) Stickle et Mann

Family: Neidiaceae

Sellaphora pupula (Ktz.) Mereschk.

Neidium affine (Ehrenb.) Pfitzer

Sellaphora pupula 2

Neidium productum (Smith.)

Family: Stauroneidaceae

Neidium rudimentarum A Boyer

Craticula cuspidata (Ktz.) Mann

Neidium sp

Stauroneis anceps Ehrenb.

Family: Pinnulariaceae

Stauroneis anceps f. gracilis Raben.

Caloneis bacillum (Grunow) Cleve

Family: Surirellaceae

Pinnularia abaujensis (Pant.) R.Ross.

Cymatopleura solea (Breb)Smith var. solea

Pinnularia abaujensis (Pant.) var. rostrata

Cymatopleura sp.

Pinnularia abaujensis (Pant.) Ross var. linearis

Surirella angusta Kutz.

Pinnularia acrosphaeria (Brb.) W.Smith

Surirella ovalis Breb.

Pinnularia appendiculata (Agardh) Cleve.

Surirella tenera Greg.

Pinnularia bicepsGreg.
Pinnularia bogotensis var undulata A Boyer
Pinnularia bogotensis (Grun. ex Schmidt) Cleve
Pinnularia borealis Ehrenb.
Pinnularia brebissonii (Ktz.) Rabenh.
Pinnularia divergens Smith
Pinnularia divergens Smith var. bacillaris (Perag) Mills
Pinnularia gibba var linearis Hust.
Pinnularia legumen Ehrenb.
Pinnularia maior (Ktz.) Raben.
Pinnularia mesolepta (Ehrenb.) Smith
Pinnularia microstauron (Ehrenb.) Cleve
Pinnularia parva var minuta Strup.
Pinnularia stauroptera (Grun. ) Cleve
Pinnularia stomatophora (Grunow) Cleve
Pinnularia stomatophoroides Mayervar. ornata Cleve
Pinnularia subcapitata Greg var. paucistriata (Grun) Cleve
Pinnularia subcapitata Greg.

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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria

Table 4: Number of diatom genera and species represented in each in Upper Dilimi River,
Jos, Nigeria (2004-2006).
S/No
1

Genus
Achnanthes

Number of Taxa
9

S/No
21

Genus
Fallacia

Number of Taxa
1

Achanthidium

22

Fragillaria

Amphicapsa

23

Frustulia

Amphora

24

Gomphonema

26

Anomoeoneis

25

Gyrosigma

Aulacoseira

26

Hantzschia

Brachysira

27

Mastogloia

Caloneis

28

Meridion

Cocconeis

29

Navicula

19

10

Coscinodiscus

30

Neidium sp

11

Craticula

31

Nitzschia

12

12

Cyclotella

32

Pinnularia

26

13

Cymatopleura

33

Rhoicosphenia

14

Cymbella

21

34

Rhopalodia

15

Denticula

35

Sellaphora

16

Diadesmis

36

Stauroneis

17

Diploneis

37

Stephanodiscus

18

Encyonema

38

Surirella

19

Epithemia

39

Synedra

Eunotia

14

40
40

Thallassiosira

20
Total

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Species composition and distribution of Freshwater diatoms from Upper Dilimi River, Jos, Nigeria
Table 5: Rank Percentage Occurrence and Mean Abundance of Twenty most predominant taxa found in
Dilimi River during the study period.
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

Samples where taxon was

encountered (%)
99.17
96.25
85.83
55.00
53.33
50.42
48.75
48.33
47.92
45.83
44.58
41.25
40.42
38.33
36.67
36.25
31.67
31.67
30.83

Taxa
Gomphonema parvulum (kutz.) Grunow
Nitzschia palea (Ktz.) Smith
Navicula arvensis Hust.
Fragilaria virescens Ralfs
Pinnularia microstauron (Ehrenb.) cleve
Cymbella angustata (Smith) Cleve
Cyclotella ocellata Pant.
Cymbella minuta var. selesiaca (Bleisch) Reimer
Cymbella minuta Bleisch ex Rabh.
Gomphonema sphaerophorum Ehrenb.
Nitzschia intermedia Hantzsch
Nitzschia palea 2
Navicula flanatica Grunow
Brachysira styriaca (Grunow) Ross
Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehrenb.
Pinnularia appendiculata (Agardh) Cleve
Cyclotella atomus Hust.
Nitzschia hantzschiana Rabenh.
Craticula cuspidata (Ktz.) Mann

IV.

Mean abundance for

species in sample (%)
41.32
40.10
35.76
22.92
22.22
21.01
20.31
20.14
19.97
19.10
18.58
17.19
16.84
15.97
15.28
15.10
13.19
13.19
12.85

Discussion

The number of diatom species (209) observed in the upper Dilimi River is quite high and comparable
to other published studies from other larger tropical rivers within and outside the Nigeria [18]. Majority of
diatoms identified in the study were from the pennate group which is in conformity with the species composition
in similar reports from the southern part of the country[18 -22]. The relatively higher abundance and frequency
of occurrence for Gomphonema parvulum,Nitzschia palea and Navicula arvensis agrees with reports by [18]
who listed Nitzschia palea and Gomphonema parvulum as one of the more frequently occurring pennate diatoms
in Ologe lagoon [23]. Oliveira et al. (2001) also observed same for Gomphonema parvulum in all the study
areas of some temperate rivers and lotic environments in Brazil respectively [24]. This is because the two
species are pollution tolerant and resistant to organic pollution in water and so infer nutrient enrichment [13
&25]. Hence, the occurrence of Nitzschia palea and Gomphonema parvulum in abundance across the streamis
an indication of earlier organic enrichment of the water as reported [26&27].Potapova et al. (2005) also reported
that in urban streams, the relative abundance of pollution tolerant species was often higher than in less affected
streams [23].
From the checklist, Dilimi River was dominated by a few species that occur frequently in abundance
and in combination with a large number of rare species that occur occasionally. An observation indicated in
many reports [28, 29 & 30].

V. Conclusion
This study as it stands has contributed to the understanding of the local, regional and national
biodiversity. It has also provided a background database for future reference and for more detailed
investigations on diatom assemblages in the region. It has indicated the extent to which the considerable
literature from southern part of the country is relevant to the region.

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